Marriage is Murder

Brant looked at Marcus and stepped out of Brians way as he entered , he merely stood in the back ground and sighed as Brian left " sure sorry about that , guess tact isn't my forte" he said and rubbed the back of his neck as he moved to wait in the hall way finding a seat he sat down and thought about the puzzle box he had been given and still hadn't opened yet. Each time he was close something would trip him, he could not help but chuckle at this thought as it was exactly like how his life was at theis point each time he thought he was on a level he would do a stupid move and it would twist again.

Steven shook his head as he walked past Brant " don't worry about it Brant " he said and patted his shoulder " Brian will be okay" he added and continued to his room where brant heard the shower turn on. He took a deep breath in and sat up waiting for them to appear or to be called in so they could head out.

Marcus helped Khaat finish dressing and used a glamour spell on her to help her with her hair and makeup. She was self conscious about the scarring from James--scarring that, most likely, wouldn't be eliminated until her father regained the ability to touch her. He had finer skills than she did, the delicate touch to eliminate such horrid drastic scarring entirely. In the meantime, she hadn't even wanted to leave her room unless it was necessary. Marcus found a rose colored shawl and helped her use it as a scarf to drape around her head and neck to conceal what the glamour spell would never hide.

He found one of her winter cloaks. It was a long, full dove gray cloak with a hood. Once he had secured it, he tucked her wand in her cloak--just in case. He got his own trim fitting black wool coat and put it on.

"Are you ready?" he asked her, more to double check that she still wanted to do this. She nodded. He sighed, helped her to her feet. "Brant! Let's go," he said. "Where are we going exactly, Khaat?"

"One store?" she said.

"One," he repeated.

"Then we're going to Harrod's," she said firmly.

"No," he said just as firmly. "That's not in Diagon Alley..."

"And you didn't say it had to be. Must I remind you of your own rules?" she asked.

Brant sat waiting he twisted his finger around his thumb not nervouse but just bordum. He could hear the voices inside the room and sat back in the chair as he thought about why he was so forthright and damned quick to speack and not to think out his actions. He moved his feet back and forth as he sahis name and stood up walking in het waiting . Soon he heard smiled to Khaat " looking good " he said to her and looked at Marcus " you did a good job there Marcus " He moved to stand with them and looked some what suprised at Khaat as she said she wanted to go to Harrrods in London.

" Wow, wait, that would make you an easy target and our jobs ten time harder, not that we couldn't do it." He added and quickly saw the look on her face."Okay,okay, Im still up for it. " he said reluctantly agreeing to guard her. He looekd at them both and hoped that all would go as planed , in and out quickly and quietly but part of him knew it was a big risk, one he would take to see Khaat happy even for an half an hour or so to get her shopping done. He looked to Marcus and nodded he was read taking a gentle hold on Khaats arm so not to cause her any undue pain, he could see it in her eyes and he wanted to get it done as quickly and as pain free as they could.

"Remind me to hurt you when we get back," Marcus said to her, sighing, frustrated.

"You just need to be smarter," Khaat told him.  "You made the rules.  Which ones did I break?" He was about to split hairs with her, and then he decided not to.  "Oh, come on. You love a challenge," she reminded him.  

"You are a challenge," he said, "I'll give you that." He looked at Brant. This was his first outing protecting Khaat. "Be alert," he told Brant. "I'm not sure who's quicker.  The bad guys or her." He looked back at her.  "And you. You behave yourself."  He looked at both of them. "Let's go."

He swept a strong arm around her waist. "Hold tight with your good hand," he told her. He ported them into a storeroom in the basement of Herrods.

"I don't get to use the front door?" she asked.

"Don't be picky. You're in," He said.

"How'd you get us here so accurately?" she asked.

"Coming here?" He asked. "Not such a big thing. Just had lots of practice. Now--where are we going?"

"Men's department, and then art glass," she said.

Brant looked at the two of them he could do little but chuckle as they spoke to each other th en Marcus to him. " hey my bets on Khaat being the quicker, from what I'm told by the others" he said took a long slow breath in as he then felt himself being ported to London, spacificly a store room in the Harrods building. He hated porting and much prefered walking or driving Letting go he felt his body feel like jelly for amoment and rested his hands on his knees " just give me a sec, its been a while since I ported such along way" he said taking slow deep breaths in and out.

After a moment he stood up and shook his body down " okay let go" he said One thing he hoped with being inside the building was that James would not dare attack in such a crowded place. He slipped his wand into his pocket but kept his hand on it as he moved to the door and opened it a crack "Okay its clear" he said and moved to let them both past before he too followed.

He Could see the crowds and knew this was a bigger of a test for him as it was for Khaat. He hated crowds but he hoped with the breathing he could get past it and find some things to buy for Angus and Edward for christmas but his main focus was Marcus and Khaat.

Marcus escorted them up to the menswear department. He saw no one suspicious around but he was almost too alert. He was aware of the subtle tug she gave on his sleeve. He glanced at her. She was pointing to the winter coats.

"Okay," he said. She was tiring already. He could feel it. He had to support her and make it look smoothless. "Which one?" he asked. She pointed out more one--a tan wool, a black wool, a leather, and a tan suede. He picked out Brian's sizes. They were designer, expensive, and Marcus could see she had good taste in fashion.

"They're very handsome but this isn't why you came here, is it?" he asked her.

"No," she said. "He's been eyeing a huge art glass sculpture, a one of a kind, that is being sold here this Christmas. I want it for him."

"Then lets not waste more time. Its upstairs. Let's go. Lets get it and get the heck out. You aren't going to last much longer." He looked at Brant and passed him Khaat's credit card. She looked at him, not sure how he got it. "Pay for the coats for her, please? Tell them we'll pick them up tomorrow?" Marcus asked, feeling like they needed to finish this quickly before she couldn't finish it.

Brant followed Khaat and Marcus picking up the subtle signs of fatuge in Khaat he stood looking aorund as he was then handed Khaat's card and told to pay for them " don't so anything while Im away" he said and spotted a cashier that was close by. Feeling it was bad to leave them alone he took the coats and moved quickly threw the crowds and up to the lady behind the cashier's desk " ring these up please but we'll collect tomorrow" he said the woman looked puzzled untill she saw the card and nodded "Thank you" he said she processed the payment then smiled at him" ow please , just don't,"He told her and gathered the card and recipt from out her hand " look Im flattered, but Im working and trust me Im not your type." He told her and turned to head up some stairs taking two at a time.

He glanced around and spotted them looking at a huge art glass sculpture, he thought it over the top but he knew Brian liked that sort of thing. he moved towards them and handed Khaats card back "Woman at the desk needs to find a boyfreind asap, she gave me the eye." he said and sighed as he eyed up the sculpture in front of him. " its totaly Brian" he said in a sing song voice, " be dificult to hide that under the tree though." he looked at Marcus

"You should have asked her for a date," Marcus told Brant. "Unless she's a muggle. Khaat, is this the one?" Marcus asked her.

"I...no, wait," she frowned. "The one he was looking for is called Northern Lights. This is Maui Sunset. Not the right one." Marcus looked around and saw a much smaller one, but it was more expensive. And Marcus saw why.

The glass artistry was exquisite. The slightest flicker of lights through it made it shimmer colors against the wall much like the Northern Lights themselves. Marcus hadn't seen anything that had quite that shimmer.

"He has an amazing eye for art," Marcus said, impressed. "Michael will be jealous."

"That's the one I want, Brant," she said. "Pay for it please, as long as you have the credit card? Make sure they pack it very, very carefully. There isn't a do-over on this one. And we'll send someone to pick it up."

Brant saw the sculpture she meant and gently picked one in a box for her he looked at Marcus as he spoke again and retrived the card from him " she was" he said simply as he carried it to the same desk. He saw the look she ahd and sighed " here we go again, I swear Marcus, quit playing match maker." he called back to him as he moved to the counter and the girl patted his hand.

He felt his mouth go dry and he smiled politly to her but he was not intrested. He watched her swipe the card and looked back to Marcus and Khaat. He turned back when he felt a tap on his shoulder. To his suprise the woman had lent over the counter and now was face to face to him. " hey ah anything wrong?" he asked and she shook her head "Oookay, I'll...I'll take this and ..um...go" he said but she pointed up. He looked up and groaned there hung abouve him was mistel toe. He rubbed his face and sighed.

He looked back at Marcus hoping he was not looking or laughing at him. She smiled so sweetly that Brant relinquished " okay but... only coz its nerly christmas and we are under mistle toe" with a sigh he lent forward with the intenshion to kiss her cheek but the girl grabbed both his cheeks and kissed him fully on his lips. Once he broke it he grabbed the card and stepped back. " I..um..got to..um go." He said and breathed out his cheeks rose colored and his head spinning.

"You're such a boy," Marcus teased him, taking the credit card and tucking it away in his coat.

"Leave him alone," Khaat said. "Maybe he's going to find his future wife. Who knows?"

"Mind back on the job," Marcus said. "You've had enough. Let's see if we can do home, shall we?"

"I'm tired," Khaat finally confessed, not sure she could do anymore.

"Then let's go downstairs. There's a Viennese café on down on the third floor. You can rest a little," he said. She nodded. Marcus saw the imperative to let her sit a bit, and he motioned to Brant. He was hoping they'd get downstairs before he had to make a scene and carry her.